RESEARCH

CT scanners are used in many areas of research including medical, pharmaceutical, material verification, Paleontology, Geology and Archeology just to mention a few.

In medical research CT scanners have the capability to produce extremely detailed images of previously uncooperative organs like the human heart. Remarkably clear images are produced for even the most difficult patients. CT Studies can then assist in the development of biomedical models and virtual surgeries to ensure optimal patient outcome.

CT scanning allows scientists to see inside fossilized specimens without breaking them open, preserving and discovering history in a new way. With CT scanning technology, scientists are able to virtually “unwrap” mummies, helping them gain a greater understanding of how they were preserved and what their physical condition was.

In an example of material verification, CT imagery was used to do a comparative study on the composition of ash vs. maple as a material for major league wooden baseball bats in order to compare stability and to prevent injury from shattering. (see images in the gallery to the right)

Maple grain structure is more uniform than ash, likely affecting several important mechanical properties. Profiles of CT data taken across the grain shows that the high density bands in ash and maple are nearly the same, but the intervening wood is much lower density in ash than in maple.

Grain Density and Orientation vary greatly from Bat to Bat. MLB ash bats were scanned, each with trademark up. Grain curvature, spacing and orientation are very different. Orientation of impact with the grain thus also varies. Since stiffness of wood depends on grain orientation, flex of the bat and perhaps COR will too. The scale for this comparison is from 0.5 g/cc on (blue) to 0.7 g/cc (red).